When San Diego Hardware's Bill Haynsworth talks about a safe journey, he takes the topic to another level.

When his downtown hardware business begins its move Friday, its historic safe, purchased in 1892, will be moved with it.

The one-ton Diebold safe was shipped from Ohio to California by train and brought to the store in a horse-drawn wagon. Ever since, every penny earned by San Diego Hardware went into the safe until November 1986, when fire nearly destroyed the store.

Although the fire-ravaged safe is still operable, the Haynsworth family, which has co-owned the store for 114 years, bought a replacement.

Nevertheless, the old safe, coveted by several collectors, will move to the new store at 5710 Kearny Villa Road in Kearny Mesa. There, it will go on display.

Also on exhibit will be the hardware store's original leather-bound records, found by co-owner Charles “Rip” Fleming as he prepared for the move.

One contains the store's handwritten bylaws, dated Dec. 2, 1892. Another shows that the rent was $45 a month in 1893.

Congressman who?

As John Doty registered for next month's international student advocacy day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the background questionnaire asked for the name of his Congressman.

Unsure how to respond because he resides in former Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham's district, Doty visited the House of Representatives Web site, entered his ZIP code (92130) and got the following response:

“You are in California's 50th District and are represented by The Honorable Vacancy.”

Which raises the question, wonders Doty, executive director of the Pacific Intercultural Exchange: “Do I refer to my representative as 'Congressman Vacancy' or 'Congresswoman Vacancy?' ”

A romantic mystery

When Kristine Lumayag came to work on her 26th birthday Wednesday, she had no clue what was in store for her.

All day long, handsome male strangers, one as young as 11, and two debonair senior citizens, came up to her in the San Diego Natural History Museum store, offered birthday greetings and handed her a single red rose.

One gentleman even sang “Happy Birthday.” A fellow who often plays the saxophone near the Balboa Park fountain presented a rose and serenaded her.

Lumayag soon learned that the surprise visits were orchestrated by bookstore manager Tam Joslin, who had picked up two dozen roses at a flower stand en route to work. Joslin collaborated with a front-desk employee who recruited good-looking gentlemen throughout the day to deliver each rose.

Once the mystery was solved, Lumayag was thrilled that 24 strangers had joined in her birthday celebration.

Catering to Oprah

No sooner had restaurateur Paul Dobson revamped the kitchen at Dobson's downtown and opened a catering component this week than an order for eight dinners to go unexpectedly came in on Wednesday afternoon.

The meals were for the private jet carrying Oprah Winfrey to Chicago after her visit to San Diego High School.

Dobson's chef, Kurt Metzger, says the selections were health conscious, as one would expect, including a request for “no starches” with two of the meals.

History repeats

In 1931, Theodore Gildred Sr. flew a single-engine plane from San Diego to Ecuador on a “Spirit of Goodwill” mission. A San Diego Aerospace Museum gala commemorating the 75th anniversary of that flight is planned Feb. 25. Jay Leno of “The Tonight Show” will be the host

On hand will be Gildred's son, Theodore E. Gildred, who retraced his father's flight in 1981 in a 1942 single-engine plane borrowed from the Aerospace Museum's collection.

Also scheduled to attend is Erik Lindbergh, who four years ago retraced the 1927 trans-Atlantic flight of his grandfather, Charles Lindbergh.

Now, as the 75th anniversary of the “Spirit of Goodwill” looms, Gildred is planning another repeat.

On March 24, he'll begin flying the same route (with fewer stops) in a Pilatus PC-12, along with sons Ted Gildred III and Stephen. When the 100th anniversary arrives, his sons plan to carry on the tradition. Diane Bell's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Fax items to (619) 260-5009; call (619) 293-1518; e-mail to diane.bell@uniontrib.com; or mail to The San Diego Union-Tribune, Box 120191, San Diego 92112-0191.